In a healthy shoulder joint, the humeral head of the humerus interacts with the glenoid of the scapula to form a “ball and socket” joint. The humeral head abuts and articulates with the glenoid to allow a wide range of motion in the shoulder. In an unhealthy shoulder joint, the interaction between the glenoid and the humerus are compromised, requiring repair or replacement. Total shoulder replacement is one method used to replace shoulder joints that have been damaged beyond repair due to trauma or disease. Typically, a total shoulder replacement procedure includes providing a glenoid component and a humeral component that interact with each other at an articulating surface.
Conventionally, glenoid components have been designed as two-piece components made of plastic and metal. Due to difficulties in designing a mechanism to lock the two pieces together, the assembly can fail over time. Replacement of the glenoid component requires that the patient undergo an additional surgical procedure and be subjected to additional recovery time and costs. One-piece glenoid components have also been developed that fixate to a glenoid and provide an articulating surface for the humeral component. Bone cement is commonly used to secure the glenoid component to the glenoid for both two-piece and one-piece components.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,911,047 (Rockwood Jr. et al.) discloses a glenoid component having an anchor peg and stabilizing pegs to secure the glenoid component to a glenoid without the use of bone cement. The anchor peg disclosed in Rockwood Jr. et al. includes a body portion having a plurality of fins at a proximal end of the body portion. When the glenoid component is positioned within the glenoid and scapula, the fins provide resistance to removal forces on the glenoid component. The stabilizing pegs are positioned within the glenoid around the anchor peg to prevent movement of the body portion relative to the glenoid.